JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?Pഡip J((RF)q@t&f+}TUlfM [r=oLeOwּ>.F|?Fy"s=)K=hJȻzςx࿔5GAҘUqr~䵛=SC}x浴_X֧3(TqYrˋrvIbeÊk%IzZ;}sY<%zzg̖ڎvgNAbЏufѨ 1Gj <I-M6OߙXC(CW`jJH&%$1>.Ioת;i=:uc$j0 M]fQe sEu߈!.*mZnjiX+ Uwq|4均w,[Ԝ? KxRVY ̛oqG3Z65dB|63]ܪG,W<^V5zM%ո33ے:H918`;}i*j:ع֔՛1o|=Ľ]V+i,&V 8#wJjjd>l`㸥(!3ؘm[\y<ţ ޽9g\F.2e\LRbJPHIKDŽ܁ފΚ]ADKSgh$|G_J*,CkAnoEYQE ( (05<dw'9/4 @PyEJM fm1k%AWGrycCZ[q5u C)\"c9y{vK8ۭLWfp]:x7z8y *}ߵb"Qf閻FD#' h|hF񣤸VeGz}J=dH漪R8)1#|i{'xX9k36 =z>a9}p:tH[FO4PE0c$%ԞpX֊U@'Z(H ( Z(QE|EkƳl2@OZK:yvH\%J~` ::|gplvpT UەC.Zj¾%&Y?y[+^kt9 :*pxkw>Qռ2'BW 0{UUU+qtpsLg%'3z-F$uEUC)W\ [!dżdd?.~[+XE{Yx^$n_98vVI7?xg4  [ʮZYO!lsz߇X*%qz:$I}jA+ec".y Q /\q:3MF5ɫi x9R¦hLe+8p5,67Wjvd`x6q)g[}8|;&7@WZ+y΃3zS⺪foqhb( 4osO[ A{G0(5k6%p[5/xM]$)gY#*r`_T߈/Nn VlCM=>= \Դ"},ױرn>h ҥ70?#޶m "Զc$ЌtS9"m7J39Rb٥;9tK,<)1>>Wksf'sIVL1,rW }*𿆯̓{\+8d?Zά)&t^1ѧ O$5y!չ |_7ZnP9U S[ӵ _)V F|:\nG=jSbUn[+΢&kB$|ēkCwN*nU yap< -Y~Gxk+\i6 c>&V-=Gx]B 3ARqm|=r37"`Xu]G>Ha|[R.kj:ͣ+3\ּYFٌ"c-ǠEMrLSkarLoS Ak> 5=bU(e9XWc 5 Xiv0OkspTwNq¼V܈c :k=U0w HPF5?o9U9=^qZeW ͠,K"\:y20? ~jh܍p1IXq׷kqtV4žֺxY`ƺo֗=еkr6 `y{ g]kzY7|ߧqQR%&zhh ;FñLLdzppE՚M|`ޱ\*ǵ{&9nZ5 ƒVW[a*vhs6?|In02kDca"B4˃Wy5r~oci-DFt''=GxT/|YgK-("%r7yyFz%"6 #5̭ ** fvW"g-}]u>_ h=qΧGox%!vpP" ɲ뙧f5h@NF)0<2^Inv*¼Fvv$w'鍪xcR[ug;zr1sE;"IQL(PǨP9HJ/nmCvˢm?ּOQ,Hc޽KHk~;VOG$=1XF8םk.xč 5fƴ@fFXjῴK[e0Ц ۫ۑVPKs(KX76j\ 5#",:}[=oٚ7CaN^ܕfىUR}AťvFfvdw 漞#TQj+g6gןz HC\\x2I 觯\ ]{{To(1MJU\[\\f|5FɦY[̱#5~%M١GP+oYɡf$;=z858X袊3żOxb3cʶL@1Z>3uI'q'ècoi[==g֖/ʼn"}x?T _ 鑨"{7b6989Z~( xg6Z j#>d'H˴w,}8߇\X_op= Y՚4}99'`@i?/ ƥM˽?m/]H2~8?^AJ-夫,`qVH#7 TѼ=mb?,c{td.g>2 0I(}Wz|EBA7z^!\x3Ȑ\D6(O'f[q$ؔg8tkA'4[Z hwI|u55Vfa #A$ ŁS?J볧Ys5E\@>|_9baV_1/uYW3u#YjNM1K)ǿSE<$'1;iDcȏФ:*E\RWT(灊.?Zfܱ8Jruc}w.zVHwi.g ŽFc~Z4='W- =j^+ MZA㑜 501pGzǽu`T\xmh=B45Up8h,,f1yqL0$Q FzQ}Egf&I;޴ԥ1Ȧ7z0i˸lcsnXljSHDexJλ'g׊5; Vr*6XN@5)&Veԑ-};ld gTgLb[KÂYֵwF rkJu[qan0Uaq#g-# :q"5z}5pm&m8Ic +T栗KL^PIeoOy1)HP8}CCK}F8PiXjC`#[lNGB!SL$a,]#hxUE0EdFG:>z zSyhz>)8$ukY]mRhAS>jzpj7M;v)06UҐ1qQ 0vLC&G:y'p ?UiwsMH9<ɑ~(Ma]ɢpP?٠((((((( a great athlete who has gotten continually stronger and better. <br>Ben was a 1999 All-American and a pre-season 2000 All-American. He has also been selected as a 2000 Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award Candidate. Ben states,  While growing up in Wayzata, playing for the University of Minnesota was always a dream for me. After my freshman year, I wasn t sure what to expect for the rest of my college career because of coaching changes. But, Coach Mason came inand changed the attitudes and expectations of Gopher football. I am very proud that I was part of transforming this program back into a winner. <br>Ben believes that hard work has gotten him where he is.  I ve used goal setting, says Ben.  Goals help you to stay focused. On a big day in the wight room or on the football field, I visualize being successful. I visualize beating the weight. I do the same in football by visualizing great execution. <br>The most inspirational person in Ben s life has been his father.  He has always been there for me, says Ben.  My father has been a good example. Ben s father was a former Minnesota Viking offensive lineman. He taught Ben well. Ben is the first offensive lineman to be named All-American since Outland Trophy winner Bobby Bell in 1962. <br>Ben red-shirted his first year and was a Scholar-Athlete winner. He started as a freshman in 1997 in all 12 games and was an All-Big Ten selection. The next year Ben was a pre-season honorable mention All-American. In addition to being a first team All-American last year, Ben was named the team s Paul Giel award winner, which honors the player who exhibits total unselfishness and most concern about the University of Minnesota. <br>One of the pre-season teams that Ben made was the Playboy All-American team. He turned them down.  My relationship with God is the most important thing in my life, explained Ben.  Turning down Playboy was hard because lineman don t get many honors. But I didn t want to give a mixed message. If you are a Christian, you should lead by example. <br>Ben leads by example in other areas. He doesn t smoke, chew or do drugs.  You can find that stuff, Ben says.  I ve just never anted to try it. Ben carries a 3.2 GPA. He is never late to class. In fact, one of his traits is that he is always early. Ben has missed zero tests.<br> I don t miss things, says Ben.  You have to pay attention to time management. I have a day planner type of calendar. Besides, I really like my classes, especially math and my major. Ben will graduate in Civil Engineering and, after whatever happens in pro football, wants to manage construction projects. <br>Karon did not lift weights at Martin Luther King High School in Detroit.  Because, says Karon,  I was always in sports. I played three sports and I was naturally strong. Karon was All-State in both football and basketball. He also ran a 10.8 100 meters at 210 pounds. Karon carried a 3.65 GPA.<br>Karon never did drugs or drank alcohol in high school.  Never, exclaimed Karon!  I was petrified. I was scared to drink. A lot of my friends did. I was usually the mediator. Detroit is not a good place not to be sober. My uncle was a police officer and I learned that it was just not worth it. <br>Being in the  hood was part of Karon s everyday life while growing up. He gives the following advice to survive:  First, be aware and be smart. Second, be down to earth. Don t try to seem better than others. Third, be careful where you go and who you are with. You can be guilty by association. <br>Karon chose SMU to play football and made an immediate impact. He became a starter for the Mustangs at mid-season during his true freshman year. Karon also did well the following year but he wanted to be closer to home. Thus, a monumental decision was made. He transferred to Minnesota. However, according to NCAA rules, Karon sat out the first year, but was given the Defens